This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: HALL Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/hAC.2ACE/1222 Message Board Post: In 1750, when Durham HALL, then Mayor, as well as an Alderman of Norfolk County, VA., made his will he owned 300 acres of land in "Brunswick County, VA". Durham must have died in December of that year since his Will was presented and "proved" in the first court of January 18, 1751. His Will did not describe this property other than as being in Brunswick County and containing 300 acres. How he came into ownership of this property remains a mystery. Col. Robert TUCKER and Christopher PERKINS (two of the three Executors named in the Will, the other being a brother, William HALL) advertised the auction sale of this land (by then described as BEING IN LUNENBURG COUNTY) to take place in Williamsburg of 1751. The actual transcription follows "All persons who have any Claim against the Estate of Mr. Durham HALL, late of the Borough of Norfolk, deceased, are forthwith desired to send in their Accounts, properly attested to his Executors, Robert Tucker and Christopher Perkins, of the said Borough: and those that are indebted to the said Estate, are desired by them, to make speedy Payment. Attendance will be given, at Williamsburg, during the General Court. A Tract of Land, about 300 Acres, lying in Lunenburg County, belonging to the said Estate will be sold at public Sale, on Wednesday the 24th Instant, at Ms. Henry Wesberburn's Door, in Williamsburg, where the particular Bounds, (illegible)., of the said Land will then be produced. Also, to be freighted upon moderate Terms, to any of the West India Islands, or elsewhere, the Sloop Harry, belonging to the said Estate, now lying at Norfolk, ready to proceed upon any Voyage that may offer. Robert Tucker Christopher Perkins Executors." The outcome of that sale is not known and the add in the Virginia Gazette stated that the "Meets & Bounds" description would be given before the sale. Thanks to the timing of his death I do not know where this land actually sat. IT may have been in areas much west of present day Lunenburg, or south. He may have acquired this land from through the death of his own, as yet, nameless parents. The size of this tract seems small by the standard of the date. Durham HALL's residence was the "Borough of Norfolk", then the county seat. This very location implies that he was not from Pennsylvania or another colony. He more likely came from Gloucester County or from another shipping area such as Bermuda or Barbados. (The name Leonard Durham HALL does appear in Bermuda later in the century.) The name Robert HALL (not rare) appears regularly in my family and was prominant in Gloucester County, VA. A hint of Durham's status can be extracted from the will which follows. Abstract of Durham HALL's will dated November 14, 1750 from Brief Abstracts of Norfolk County Wills 1710 - 1753, by Charles McIntosh (Book I p. 179, dated Nov. 4, 1750, Proved Jan. 18, 1751) DURHAM HALL of the Borough of Norfolk in the Colony of Virginia Merchant ..... ..... first it is my Will & Desire that the Sloop Molly whereof John Ingram is at present Master, and whereof I am two third Part Owner, as soon as possible after her Arrival here may again be fitted out for the West Indies on freight if possible............It is my Will & Desire that the Sloop Harry whereof John Loyall is at present Master, and whereof I am five twelths Parts Owner.............the Briggantine William lately launched of which I am to hold three Eight parts my Brother William Hall & Capt. James Dickenson to hold the remaining.... ...fitted.... Voyage to Madiera........ to my dearly beloved Wife Jane Hall all my household Furniture ...... to bring up my Children, William, Henry, Durham and Daniel ..... as they come to age.......... appoint my said beloved Wife Jane Hall, my Dearly beloved Brother William Hall my Friends Col. Robert Tucker & Christopher Perkins Executors.......... Witnesses: James Dickenson Archibald Campbell Elizabeth Campbell Durham Hall & Seal Memorandum............Desire that a Tract of Land whc I hold in Brunswick County may be sold by my Exrs likewise a Lott or half of a Lott of Land morgaged(sic) to me by Edwd Hainly may be sold in a like manner. Witnesses: Archibald Campbell Thomas Dickenson her Mary + Hickman mark Durham Hall & Seal There is another known will in Norfolk County that may give insight to the HALL family connections and origins.. There is another will dated Nov. 9, 1722 & Proved Dec. 21, 1722 for "a" Robert Tucker who may be the father of Col. Robt. Tucker above that mentions a parcel of land "in ye possession of Mr. Robt. Hall of the County of Prince George." This suggesta a connection with the two Hall families through the Tuckers of Norfolk County, VA. This Robert Tucker also owned a number of trading vessels. Problems surface with the above since in 1722 Prince George County comprised virtually all of the counties named above plus Dinwiddie and several/many others. Sons named in Durham HALL's Will: William, Henry Durham & Daniel In that order, no daughters were mentioned. Norfolk County, VA HALLs EARLY HALLs in Lower Norfolk County taken from the W&M Quarterly, Vol 25, no.1 July 1916, pp. 36-40 "Ages of Lower Norfolk County People" by Charles F. McINTOSH William HALL age 26 in 1657 Edward HALL age 56 in 1658 Thomas HALL age 45 in 1659 From Brunswick County, VA from "Marriage Bonds & Ministers Returns of Brunswick County, 1750-1810 p. 36 Dison (or Dickson) HALL & Ann Hunt, Sur. Tho. Rivers, Wit. Wingfield Mason, Jan 5, 1775 p. 37 Durham HALL & Francis HICKS, Ward of Robt. HICKS, Sur. Lewis HICKS, Wit Wm. Jones Nov. 23, 1778 p. 37 Edward HALL & Elizabeth KELLY, 21, Sur. Wyatt NANNY, Lic Nov. 22, 1802, Mg. Dt. Dec. 1, 1802 p. 21 Thomas COTTON & Sarah HALL, 21, Sur. Geo. JOHNSON March 26, 1793 p. 16 Martha HALL(widow of James) m. Wm. CAUDLE, Sur. John HARDAWAY, Nov. 6, 1784 p. 3 Churchill ANDERSON m. Rebecca HALL, (Dau of Patrick HALL) Sur. Tho. CAMP, Wit. Sally CAMP. April 7, 1779 p. 44 Paschal HICKS m. Lucy HALL, Sur. James HARRISON, Lic. Apr. 27, 1807, mg. Apr. 29, 1807 p. 101 James WARSDEN & Lucy HALL, Sur. Briggs GOODRICH, Jan. 27, 1784 from "Marriages of Greenville County Virginia 1781 -1825" by Catherine L. Knorr 1787, May 24, Isaac GWALTNEY & Mary COTTON, Sur Wm. ANDREWS, Md. by Rev. Wm. ANDREWS, Methodist, p. 10 1823, Dec. 13, Clement HALL & Sarah P. HARWELL, Sur. Lawrence G. HEATH, Rev. James E. MORRIS, p. 92 1797, Apr. 13, Hugh HALL & Amy G. TYUS, Joshua LUNDY, grdn. of Amy consents & Sur., Rev. Wm. ANDREWS, Methodist. p. 37 1820, Dec. 9, James HALL & Nancy TEWELL(?), Sur. Crawley HOUSE, p. 86 1784, Oct. 15, John HALL & Elizabeth DUPREE, dau of Jacob DUPREE who consents, Sur. John BROWN, Jr., Wit. Amy DUPREE. p. 30 1802, Oct. 1, John HALL & Elizabeth JORDAN, Sur. Wylie PEEBLES, Wit. Sealey & Benjamin PEEBLES. Md. Nov 4 by Rev. James McKENDREE. p. 50 1799, May 4, Richard HALL & Martha HOWSE, consent of mother, Lucy HOWSE, Sur. Robert HALL, Wit. Elizabeth HOBBS. Md. May 9 by Rev. Wm. ANDREWS, Methodist. p. 41 1790 Oct. 2, Willis HALL & Mary CAMP, dau of Sally CAMP who consents. Sur. Edward DELBRIDGE. Wit. S. HALL & John HALL. Returned Jan 7 1791, by Rev. William GARNER p. 21 From Franklin County, NC.. Previously Bute and from which Warren County was cut. On Nov. 16, 1778 Durham HALL"entered"(registered) 250 acres of land on the Tar River. On June 8, 1779 Martin HALL "entered" 640 Acres of land on Crooked Creek. (from BUTE County Land Grant Plats and land Deeds - Holcomb) Durham HALL has other land registered in different parts of the county and eventually got himself sued over a land deal that went bad. He was in Wake County before 1800. He served in a Wake County unit in the revolution as an officer. Durham married a HICKS in 1778 in Brunswick County, VA.On March 16, 1780 Jacob POWELL (brother-in-law of Isaac PIPPIN-the elder thru sister Martha) sold to William ANDREWS 20 acres on the north side of the Tar River. The transaction was witnessed by William HALL and Martin HALL (Bute & Franklin Co. Deeds - Holcomb) Would like to exchange information with anyone who thinks they may connect to this HALL line.